Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Tuesday warned against using the Emergency Cell Broadcast System (ECBS) for political campaigning.

Castro was reacting to reports that the ECBS was used by an unnamed local candidate for the May 12 elections to transmit emergency alerts to residents, which included his name.

In a press briefing at the Palace, Castro stressed that the ECBS should be used strictly for emergencies.

“Huwag po sanang abusuhin itong emergency cell broadcast system dahil ito po, ‘pag sinabi pong emergency ay dapat pang-emergency lamang po,” Usec. Castro said.

The ECBS is a vital communication tool used by the government to issue critical public safety and life-saving notifications during natural disasters, security threats, and other emergencies.

The system is closely coordinated with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Castro stressed that any unauthorized use of the system is a grave violation of public trust.

“Hindi po ‘to dapat inaabuso ng sinuman para sa pansariling kapakanan,” she said.

Castro said the DICT and the NTC are investigating the alleged misuse of the ECBS. She said the government will take legal action against any individual or group found guilty of using the ECBS for non-emergency purposes. | PND